Inspired by savage garden – the lover after me

I lay upon the freezing ground, pole embedded in my chest, the blood leaks between my broken ribs and my thoughts wander. At first they don't wander far, just images of my own life rushing past in a frenzy of colours...and then there's you...

"Here I go again" I think. I promised myself I wouldn't think of you today, or tomorrow, or the next day. A perfect frame of you appears before my glistening eyes like a mirage. Your eyes capture me like they always did, those simple blacks and greens forever pulling me in. I try to push your image away but it stays glued to the inside of my eyelids, I haven't been able to forget you and I'm counting the months since you've been gone. Seven. Such an ugly number, but then again it was always you who was better at maths. I sigh and remember.

Everything I see reminds me of you, everywhere I go I remember when we went there together. I picture us together-formidable and intimidating in our matching cloaks, armed to the teeth. Those were the days. I whisper your name, and it's reflected back to me through everything I do, everything I ever will do in this eternity I'm doomed to spend alone. A tear slides from my eye, I tell myself it's from the pain of this ritual but in my heart I know it's not. It's for you, all my tears are for you, you who should have been immortal. You who should be sitting a few metres from me now, complaining and bitching, demanding that we hurry up and catch our next bounty. Forever running. We never stopped to consider what we had right in front of us, until it was wickedly snatched away.

So this is my new freedom? A freedom without love, without purpose. Even my religion loses its credibility now I have no one to annoy with it. Nothing makes sense anymore. I needed you more than I made out. So my nights are colder and lonelier than ever, carrying out missions and rituals in a horrible robotic way, I'm holding on for the day we're re-united, for that day I can stop calling your name.

My purple eyes slowly open onto the seemingly bleak world. I see a grey sky, loveless clouds promising rain. The lights are going on in the next village, just the same as they have always done, but here for me everything has changed. I'm alone! I suck in a deep breath as I realized I had screamed those last two words. Finally admitting my life has become a torturous hell, tormented by desire for one who has moved on. The thing that aches worst is the fact I know I miss you more than a man misses his best friend. I miss you as a man misses his...his...I notice as I stare into the forest that your image still hasn't faded from my delirious eyes. I blink –you're still there. I lift my aching head – you have not faded. I figure I must have slipped into sickness, am I finally dying?

"Jashin, if you can hear me, take me!" I wail and spread my arms wide. Suddenly Kakuzu's voice booms inside my head, it's so loud my eardrums about to pop. He's saying something about gods and zealots – just as he always did, more tears slide from my violet eyes and stain my cheeks. I can almost feel his hands on my neck and back, a gossamer grip I never want to leave me, I squeeze my eyes tight shut against the full force of the grief that's threatening to burst out of me.

The howl of despair is rising in my throat, I'm clutching at the pole that's impaling me desperate to either push it deeper or pull it out, I settle on the latter and as I wrench it out of my chest a fountain of blood follows. It sprays high into the stormy autumn night and I grin grimly as I realize I will still not die. The spear hits the soft earth with a dull thud, and at the same moment I open my eyes and stare up into...green?

"Hidan, shut the fuck up please? You're embarrassing me" whispers a quiet yet deep gravely voice. His voice. The perfect face I imagined all those lonely nights and hopeless days is hanging over mine, seriously his head is barely inches above mine and I try to shrink back into the earth away from the closeness. It's then I realize I'm no longer lying on the ground, I'm in his arms, he's holding me, my broken body in his strong arms. Tears race from my eyes again, but they're tears of happiness and joy rather than despair.

Kakuzu gives me a withering stare and looks over his shoulder to see if anyone's watching, of course there's no one around on this desolate hilltop. Maybe about half a mile away there's a pack of wolves devouring the team of ninja I came to assassinate, but that's it. The weather is too bleak, and the location too remote to attract anyone except me...and him. The sickly yellow light shines across his scarred skin and throws the stitches into sharp relief. I find his face more beautiful than I could ever describe, more beautiful than any of the sunsets and snow capped mountains that Jashin has graced this world with. And I can never tell him.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I've been tailing that stupid idiot for months now, after all this time he still hasn't completed the mission we set out to do. And I haven't been able to catch up to him either. The fight with the kyuubi left me weak – yet not dead. I had enough strength left to rescue Hidan from that hole they put him in, but that left me with nothing. I was closer to death than I'd ever been before. Hidan went ahead, thinking me gone and I'd been trying to catch up ever since.

I'd missed him more than I missed anything, more than the money I'd had to spend along the way, more than the bounty hunting I had to forfeit. Chasing that silver haired head halfway across the world, and for what? Secretly I knew. It pained me to admit it, but life just wasn't the same without him around. I thought I would be glad to be rid of his constant bitching, but I missed that too. Why didn't I just go back to base and wait for him there?

My mind wandered around a bit before it came to the answer, this wasn't just like some mathematical equation for working out profits, this was in-depth thinking. Serious thinking. Why was I thinking god-damnit! Chasing after that god damned priest who left me for dead. I smiled faintly then hated myself for it. Hated myself for trecking all this way, now I'd have to admit this to myself. I liked that bastard, I'd had him on my mind this whole time. His deep purple eyes, forever hiding something... wait! I heard his voice on the breeze, I'd recognise it anywhere the word over.

Up a hill, I followed the sound of his voice calling out prayers through the forest and suddenly he was laying in my arms. Fragile and bloody as always, crying into my cloak like a kid. I cradled him silently, waiting for him to calm the fuck down. The humid temperature promised a storm about to break, you could practically feel the pressure bearing down.

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The rain that the clouds had been threatening all day finally came slicing out of the sky like knives. It fell mercilessly and washed away all the blood covering Hidan's bare chest, pale pink skin was revealed underneath, and a rapidly healing wound. The rain had only been falling for a few minutes and already it had soaked through Kakuzu's cloak. Yet he didn't feel cold.

"Listen to wind in the trees" Hidan whispered, and pointed to the darkened forest. The storm was on the brink of breaking and the rain itself was warm. The sky had taken on a strange colour – a sort of yellowish brown and the sight of it reflecting back from his eyes unnerved Kakuzu. A strange shiver ran from his head all through his body as he gazed deep into Hidan's eyes for the first time. He knew now why he had followed him all this way, It had something to do with friendship, but then again it was totally new. Hidan shifted his weight and lay down on the springy grass, the rain fell full in his face and from this position his silver hair mingled with the green foliage. Kakuzu knelt beside him, in awe of his beauty. The strange stormy weather seemed to highlight his best features and dim the stark glare of blood.

Thunder rolled and boomed around the distant hills and Kakuzu counted the seconds between them, the storm was approaching. The air took on a static charge and Hidan tensed, feeling the hairs on his arms stand on end. Kakuzu watched him carefully, he knelt beside the priest and watched his chest rise and fall, watched his skin knitting back together. He watched Hidan twitch and sigh with the pain of it, his eyes were shut, and Kakuzu couldn't resist any longer...

On the spur of the moment, fuelled by bare, red passion, he slipped his mask off and leaned down over the smaller mans pale bloodless lips. He closed his eyes and so never noticed Hidan's fly open in surprise and amusement. Kakuzu's cold lips brushed lightly against Hidan's and the stitching in his cheek dragged over Hidan's perfect skin. His hands pushed into the wet earth, supporting him and his nails dug into the floor with anticipation. He expected the priest to push him off any second now, maybe swear and curse but nothing came.

Kakuzu's oddly coloured tongue slid gracefully over Hidan's lips, first the top then the bottom inviting him to part them ever so slightly, which he did without hesitation. The rain came down faster now, pummelling Kakuzu's back as he knelt over, but he didn't care. What was this? Did Hidan feel the same way, or was he just leading him on to reject him later?

Thunder resounded closer and if on instinct he lowered his head further. He didn't mean to deepen the kiss, but suddenly Hidan's hands were on the back of his neck pulling him close...so close. The rain was turning the grassy clearing to mud, and when Kakuzu leant in closer his knees slipped out from under him. Both of them were covered in mud, but the kiss remained unbroken. The grip on the back of his neck remained constant, so Kakuzu switched positions with one knee either side of his partner's bare chest. Little light remained in the tortured skies to see by. Confident that Hidan could not make out the extent of the stitching on his chest, Kakuzu removed his cloak and let it slip into the swamp the grass had become.

Hidan placed his two thin hands on the other mans strong chest and pushed him away slowly. He enjoyed tracing the lines of stitching with his eyes when Kakuzu couldn't see, now he could do the same but with his hands. He barely noticed he was being straddled. The alarming sight of Kakuzu's hulking figure outlined against the storm would have struck fear into many hearts, yet not his. He stared up and Kakuzu stared down contemplating what they had just done, and what would follow? A blot of lightning seared down out of the bulging clouds and struck the earth with terrible force, a vibration shuddered through the ground and seemed to energize the couple tangled in the mud.

With renewed passion Kakuzu fell on Hidan again, relentlessly grinding against him. Hidan put his elbows behind him and threw his head back as Kakuzu rubbed against his groin. His breath came in short sharp gasps, it had been so long since he'd felt this way – he felt nothing for love and felt no sexual desires...until now. Right now his mind was overcome with waves of confusion, did it matter that Kakuzu was another man? It didn't matter to Jashin, so he guessed it didn't matter at all.

Kakuzu's cold hands slid over his collar, desperate to get the cloak off, Hidan resisted but only slightly, only for show. His cloak was thrown over his shoulder and Kakuzu reached for his rosary –attempting to take that off as well. This time he put real force in pushing the taller man away, no one touched the rosary, and he never took it off.

He glared in defiance and Kakuzu shrugged his shoulders. He liked the feel of the cold metal as he pressed himself fully against Hidan, who clenched his teeth and moaned at the weight that fell on him from above. Kakuzu had a way to make his body burn uncontrollably. Their mouths clashed together again, Kakuzu's tongue invading before Hidan could gain the upper hand, his eyes were glazed over with lust now as the tongue -which felt more like another tentacle –explored his mouth.

Electric urges surged through Kakuzu's body as he devoured Hidan's mouth, he grew hot and suddenly his pants seemed unusually tight. His hands cupped the silver haired man's beautiful face as he lifted his weight off his chest. Hidan brought his own hands forwards and after picking playfully at the stitching on his friend's scarred skin for a minute, he placed his hands on top of Kakuzu's, then moved them gently around to his throat. Placing them neatly across his neck he looked up into those green eyes, pleading with his own purple gaze which was somehow distant.

"What?"

"Just do it, Kuzu..." whispered Hidan lightly and unsteadily. Desire was making words difficult to form and he knew it. He lay back, but at that moment the firm hands were removed. Before Hidan could sit up and start swearing they were replaced by thick black tentacles. The snakelike fibres wrapped tightly around his windpipe and rendered him breathless. His lungs were screaming out for oxygen but that only added to the pressure of the moment

He arched his back and his nails dug into the loose earth,

"Whatever...floats...you're...boat" he choked out and his eyes shone with sated lust,

"Keeps my hands free for other things..." sniggered Kakuzu and his hands dropped to the buckle on Hidan's trousers.

"Kuzu no!" rasped the priest but the tentacles tightened once more and he collapsed panting and choking out his torment. Or maybe it was pleasure. Kakuzu didn't know or care – he was enjoying himself.

His hands tugged on the waistband of the offending pants and hurriedly ripped them off. Taking a peek at the bulge beneath, Kakuzu guessed it was pleasure rather than suffering that was crossing Hidan's face now in waves. What a strange man he thought.

"F fuck!" Hidan hissed when his pants were roughly removed and he was bared to the chilly night, with his hands free, Kakuzu was able to satisfy both his demands and Hidan's. He began pumping the holy man in a way that was totally indecent. Heat was everywhere, in them, in the storm, in the sky, in his head. Excitement was taking over, his face grew flushed as he remembered all those days he'd fantasized about doing just this – minus the strangulation that was just Hidan's weirdness – and now it was all real.

Hidan was panting so he relaxed the tentacles a little, letting him grab a breath and noticing the purple bruising that had erupted all round his neck. He made the lithe muscly fibres gently caress the injuries but was surprised when Hidan slapped them away.

"Lay it on me, pussy!" he cried and arched his back inviting Kakuzu to do something else strange and sadistic to him, it seemed Hidan found pain pleasurable but as he had said earlier – each to his own. He knew Kakuzu would now do anything to make him groan again, he raised a hand to flick him off and it was roughly pushed down into the mud. The taller mans hands clamped firmly over Hidan's wrists – pinning his arms out to both sides and leaving his bare throbbing member unattended.

When their faces were mere centimetres apart, Hidan sighed and his faint liquorice scented breath washed over Kakuzu, driving him into a frenzy. He knew Hidan ate the liquorice to get rid of the taste of blood, and thinking about blood made him exited. He went in for another deep kiss, but no sooner had his tongue begun to explore, sharp teeth bit down and it was bitten ruthlessly, both their mouths filled with the crimson substance. The tangy coppery taste made him moan out loud, this was the way they both liked it and before he knew it Hidan had raised his hips and begun to grind again.

The kissing, the blood, the atmosphere all were building up to Kakuzu's own climax, he glanced around the moonlit hilltop feeling self conscious. His pondering was cut short however with an impatient yell from below him,

"I said come on, pussy!" Hidan whined, desperate for more attention after all those stagnant years of waiting. His arms were still being held down and he struggled with all his strength, "Kuzu!!" he yelled.

Ignoring the screaming whore struggling under his strong hands, Kakuzu stared at the pale moon, hanging like an orb in the velvety blackness. He didn't know what to do next. It was ok for Hidan to roll like a pig naked in the mud, but he wasn't about to do the same. He looked at those desperate amethyst eyes again and his pants twitched, something would have to be done...soon.

Hidan's pleas had faded to simple murmurings now as the desire overcame his mind. Kakuzu lowered his head and whispered into the Jashinist's ear. A moment passed when there was not a sound to be heard. Not a creature moved, even the breeze stopped blowing, the thunder died and the lightning dimmed.

"Allright" Hidan agreed slowly and with mischief in his eyes. He picked himself up from the filthy mud and knelt opposite the other man who was already undoing his pants.

"No, let me" he whispered in an uncharacteristic seductive drawl, crawling closer with dirty bangs falling over his eyes. Kakuzu's legs seemed to part of their own accord and Hidan foggily wondered if the mans cock too was stitched. His shaking hands rapidly undid the short zip and fumbled with the expensive fabric before gaining access to the prize within. If he expected neat rows of sewing he was disappointed, with a sharp tug all was removed and Kakuzu gave a hiss as the buckle brushed down his member.

Hidan's eyes widened suddenly upon seeing what lay within, and he looked down at himself with uncharacteristic self consciousness. Compared to Kakuzu, Hidan looked...tiny, and that was saying something. Deidara had commented jealously on Hidan's gear often enough in the showers back at the base. No wonder Kakuzu preferred to shower alone, he'd certainly have stolen Konan off Leader if she caught sight of...

"Hidan. Stop staring already" Kakuzu growled tiredly and met his eyes. Hidan gulped nervously, then focussed at the task at hand. Gradually he moved his hands in a stoking motion up and down the feverishly warm flesh, earning an uneven sign. He realized he was going to enjoy this. Leaning in closer he could hear the erratic beating of 5 hearts, god, Kakuzu was such fun to be with! He never broke the gaze he held with those greeny black eyes, but all the while pumped the stitch mans shaft for all he was worth, thankfully wielding that heavy scythe had given him a strong arm, but after a while two-hand-touch got boring.

"Hidan you're teasing, get on with it!"

"Get on with it what?" breathed Hidan, as his lips brushed the other's ever so lightly, "Whats the special word Kuzu kun?"

Silence. Then in the faintest whisper Hidan had ever heard,

"please...?"

He smirked and dutifully lowered his platinum haired head. The first kiss was the hardest, he'd never done anything so intimate before, but once he'd started he couldn't seem to stop. Every new way he licked or swirled his tongue on the hardened length produced a different reaction from the other man. He tried to take it inside his mouth but it didn't really fit all that well, instead he ran his hand over the arousal while using the other to clasp at his hips. Kakuzu was overtaken by a feeling he'd imagined but hadn't felt for too long, and the best part was – it was coming from a person he truly cared about. Not some cold insensitive whore only after the contents of his wallet. He threw his head back and let out a low groan. It started as a rumble in his throat, slowly making its way up until it burst out into the stormy air.

Hidan heard and his breathing became irregular, his long pale fingers wrapped securely around his partners erection. It semed so wrong, this closeness, this intimacy. But it seemed right at the same time – on so many levels. Kakuzu squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shuddering sigh as he met his climax, white seed splattering the sodden ground.

As soon as it was done he roughly pushed Hidan away and covered himself, not wishing to be exposed any longer than was necessary. If the priest wanted to look again, there would probably be other times...wait what was that he was thinking! Stiffly standing, Kakuzu gave an intimidating glare down to his friend –his lover- sprawled in the mud below.

"Now it's your turn..."